Wisconsin

796,902

Acres Protected

That’s about 603,714 football fields!

Land trusts have already conserved 61 million acres of private land across the nation — more than all of the national parks combined. Help us conserve another 60 million acres by the end of the decade.

Together, let’s keep Gaining Ground.

Visitors to Land Trust Properties

Visitors in 2020, more than triple that of 2015.

Percent of Land Trusts That Provide Public Access to Their Lands

Land trusts provide opportunities to recreate and recharge.

Land trusts provide programs and activities to get people outside and learn about the land.

Walking, hiking and other outdoor recreation improve people's health and well-being.

Universal access trails are designed to be used by all people, regardless of ability.

70%

People from various racial and ethnic backgrounds
Older adults or those living in retirement communities
People who identify as LGBTQ+
People living with disabilities
Veterans

Youth education and development
Community and economic development
Food security and agriculture
Health and wellness
Social and environmental justice

Wisconsin land trusts are community-led and supported and protect lands and waters that help the entire state.

Active Land Trusts

A land trust is a nonprofit that conserves land by acquiring and stewarding land or conservation easements.

Learn more about land trusts

Alliance Member Land Trusts

Land Trust Alliance members commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

Learn about the land trust alliance

Accredited Land Trusts

Accredited land trusts undergo a thorough review of their practices in governance, finance, transactions and stewardship.

Learn about land trust accreditation

Members/financial supporters

24,254
Volunteers

3,459
Full-time staff

93
Part-time staff

50
Board members

423

Oldest

87 years old (1937)
Youngest

22 years old (2002)
Median age

30 years old

View website

74%

37%

Wisconsin Coastal Management Program
Wildlife Conservation Society
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Environmental Protection Agency

Acre by acre, land trusts are helping to conserve Wisconsin lands, waters and ways of life.

2010

2015

2020

      Total acres protected
      
355,489
475,488
796,902
+124%

78,299

165,744

412,062

+426%

79,247

101,343

112,363

+42%

143,740

159,570

156,389

+9%

54,205

46,936

116,089

+114%

Disclaimer: Land trusts conserve land in many different ways and every project is unique. Category totals may change depending on how acres are reported by survey respondents to reflect the most current data and minimize double-counting. In some instances, the total may be greater than the sum of the separate categories due to organizations that provided total acres not broken down by category.

Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

Source: NRCS - Natural Resources Inventory

This information reflects data collected in the National Land Trust Census, the longest-running comprehensive survey of private land conservation in America. Learn more about the Census and see which land trusts participated in the 2020 National Land Trust Census.

Land trusts across the state are helping find solutions to some of Wisconsin's most pressing issues.

Providing access to land for all: In Milwaukee, the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust joined with the Fondy Food Center, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and others to benefit neighbors living in Milwaukee's urban center and beyond. The community effort, called Making Allies for Healthier Communities, aspires to conserve land and water, all while giving local farmers and neighbors a helping hand.
Read more
Protecting water quality: The Green Bay watershed is one of the largest freshwater estuaries in the world and the source of one-third of the surface water flowing into Lake Michigan. The accredited Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust prioritizes the preservation of important coastal wetlands to protect Lake Michigan’s water quality and abundant wildlife.
Read more
Conserving wildlife habitat: The accredited Landmark Conservancy works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect land and waterways along the Amnicon River, which is a valued Lake Superior brook trout stream. This partnership has protected nearly 5,000 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, including a 500-acre camp.
Read more

Land Trust Alliance member land trusts, listed below, commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

1,888 acres protected in WI

Baraboo Range Preservation Association, Inc.

3,741 acres protected in WI

319 acres protected in WI

2,884 acres protected in WI

1,463 acres protected in WI

8,646 acres protected in WI

8,565 acres protected in WI

903 acres protected in WI

2,847 acres protected in WI

2,308 acres protected in WI

905 acres protected in WI

257 acres protected in WI

19,602 acres protected in WI

5,085 acres protected in WI

428 acres protected in WI

2,851 acres protected in WI

41,297 acres protected in WI

1,224 acres protected in WI

127 acres protected in WI

39 acres protected in WI

28,642 acres protected in WI

145 acres protected in WI

117 acres protected in WI

4,446 acres protected in WI

6,050 acres protected in WI

14,054 acres protected in WI

8,070 acres protected in WI

1,510 acres protected in WI

1,250 acres protected in WI

3,784 acres protected in WI

Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy

1,644 acres protected in WI

1,545 acres protected in WI

112,780 acres protected in WI

1,009 acres protected in WI

237,127 acres protected in WI

3,868 acres protected in WI

The Trust for Public Land, National Office

46,537 acres protected in WI

Gaining Ground

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